Israel and Palestine entry requirements for Canadian passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Visa (Government of Canada): Read the official visa text below
Passport validity (Government of Canada): Valid for at least 90 days from the date you enter Israel, the West Bank or the Gaza Strip. Official text
Official source: Government of Canada – Israel and Palestine travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Entry and exit requirements” · page last updated 24 September 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Whether Canadians need a visa for Israel and Palestine and how long a Canadian passport must be valid, as published by the Government of Canada, quoted word for word with the date of the official page.
Other passports: British passport (Israel) · British passport (Palestine) · Australian passport (Israel) · Australian passport (Palestine)
Do Canadians need a visa for Israel and Palestine?
We quote the official text word for word and do not summarise it. The official visa text does not match a wording we summarise.
Official text, “Visas”:
Palestine
Palestine does not issue its own visas. To enter Palestine, travellers must pass through Israeli ports of entry and comply with Israeli entry requirements.
Israel
Tourist visa: not required for stays of up to 90 days
Business visa: not required
Student visa: not required
Work visa: required
Travellers from visa-exempt countries, including Canada, need to obtain an ETA-IL (electronic travel authorization) to enter Israel. You should submit your electronic application at least 72 hours before your expected arrival date in Israel.
If your ETA-IL application is approved, you can enter Israel and stay for a period of up to 90 days.
ETA-IL – Israeli Population and Immigration Authority
Also in the official “Entry and exit requirements” section:
Entry card
The Government of Israel issues an entry card on arrival.
You will need this card to enter the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. However, due to the ongoing conflict, entry to and exit from the Gaza Strip is extremely limited.
Keep it in a secure place to avoid complications upon leaving Israel.
Land travel restrictions
The Government of Israel tightly controls checkpoint crossings within the West Bank and to the Gaza Strip.
Security-related closures can severely restrict entry to and exit from these areas, even for persons possessing valid entry and exit permits.
Large crowds may gather due to:
- limited hours of operations
- unannounced travel restrictions
- extended closures
This may increase risks to your personal safety.
Travel to and from West Bank
The West Bank is divided into three administrative divisions, which fall under varying degrees of administrative and security control between Palestinian and Israeli authorities.
Israel sets out the entry and exit requirements for the West Bank. In some circumstances, Israeli authorities may deny you entry into the West Bank.
You are required to obtain permits with strict conditions for:
- short-term visits
- professional, academic or volunteering purposes
- temporary residence for spouses
These new procedures apply to all foreign nationals. As a result, you may need a specific type of visa to enter the West Bank based on your purpose of travel.
If you intend to travel to the West Bank:
- contact Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the closest Israeli embassy to find out which type of permit you need to apply for
- ensure that you have the proper and up-to-date identification, travel documentation and authorization to obtain your permit
- plan your visit accordingly and apply well in advance to avoid delays.
Useful links
- Foreign diplomatic missions and consulates in Canada
- Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Travel to and from Gaza Strip
The Erez border crossing, controlled by Israel, is currently closed. Entry to and exit from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing is extremely limited.
Travel to and from Jordan
As a Canadian citizen, you may travel to and from Jordan through the following border crossings:
- Jordan River/Sheikh Hussein Bridge, in the north of Israel (visa available on arrival)
- Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, near Jericho in the West Bank (visa required prior to crossing the border)
- Yitzak/Aqaba, near Eilat in the south of Israel (visa available on arrival)
The security situation may result in disruptions to movement and transportation, including border closures or restrictions, especially in the West Bank. These restrictions could make it difficult to reach the Allenby border crossing, which is the only exit option for West Bank ID holders, even if you have a Canadian passport. If you don’t have a West Bank ID, you can use the other border crossings.
More from the official “Entry and exit requirements” section (other requirements)
Dual citizenship
Israeli-Canadians
Canadians who were born outside Israel to a mother or father who is an Israeli citizen may be considered citizens of Israel.
Israeli law requires Israeli citizens to:
- enter and exit the country on an Israeli passport
- show proof of military status upon arrival
If you are unsure of your Israeli citizenship or your military status, verify it through the Embassy of Israel to Canada or an Israeli consulate before leaving Canada.
Palestinian-Canadians
As a Palestinian-Canadian citizen, you may be subject to Government of Israel travel regulations for Palestinians. Strict border control policies may prevent you from entering to and exiting from:
- Israel
- Jerusalem
- the West Bank
- the Gaza Strip
Anyone registered in the Government of Israel’s West Bank and Gaza Strip population registries, including Canadian passport holders of Palestinian descent born in the West Bank or Gaza after 1967, is prohibited from entering Israel through Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport.
Israeli authorities are currently only allowing a limited number of Palestinians to enter into the West Bank via the Allenby Crossing (King Hussein Bridge). This rule may not apply to Palestinians with dual citizenship.
You may also be subject to the Government of Israel’s travel regulations for Palestinians if you are a Canadian born in another Arab state or if you hold dual Canadian-Arab state citizenship.
Israeli authorities may then ask you to enter and exit Israel on your Arab passport.
If the place of birth listed on the traveller’s passport does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, travellers may be subject to increased security screening at points of entry, including extensive questioning, physical searches and/or denial of entry, which can involve temporary detention before removal.
Regional travel
Some Canadians have been denied entry into Lebanon, Syria and other Arab countries because their passports bore:
- an Israeli visa
- an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel
Other entry requirement
Custom officials may ask to show a return or onward ticket as proof that you have sufficient funds to cover your stay.
Official source: Government of Canada – Israel and Palestine travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Visas” · page last updated 24 September 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
How long must my Canadian passport be valid for Israel and Palestine?
In short: Valid for at least 90 days from the date you enter Israel, the West Bank or the Gaza Strip.
Our one-line summary of the official sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. Your airline may apply stricter rules.
Official text, “Regular Canadian passport”:
Your passport must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the date of entry into Israel, the West Bank or the Gaza Strip.
Official source: Government of Canada – Israel and Palestine travel advice and advisories (travel.gc.ca), section “Regular Canadian passport” · page last updated 24 September 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026 · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
For Canadian passport holders. These rules are published by the Government of Canada (Global Affairs Canada) for Canadian citizens travelling on a regular Canadian passport. Before You Fly is an independent site: it is not a Government of Canada site and is not endorsed by the Government of Canada. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice. British passport? See the UK (FCDO) rules.
Read the full official travel advice for Israel and Palestine (safety, health, local laws) before you travel.
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